Robert Snodgrass insists Hearts showed no fear as they ran Rangers close at Ibrox on Wednesday night.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men won 1-0 at Ibrox thanks to a sweeping finish by Malik Tillman in the second-half.
Hearts more than played their part in the game, though, with Rangers nervously hanging on for the three-points come the end of the game.
Despite ultimately losing the game, Snodgrass was happy with the way the Jambos set about their task.
He said: “We showed no fear, but I think in the final third we lacked that bit of quality you need to try and cause them problems.
“I don’t think Rangers had a lot of chances and it was quite even-Stevens.
“Probably a draw would have been a fair result.
“But for us it was probably a silly goal for us to lose.
“We’re kicking ourselves because we believe that in stages of the game we did well.
“I said to the lads in the changing room that we had to take the ball everywhere. I said not to be afraid and keep the ball to cause them problems by getting between the lines.
“It was just that last part that let us down.
“I’m really proud of the lads, though, because we went to Ibrox after a tough game against Motherwell the other day.
“To go to Ibrox and show the courage to take the ball, and try and play, is fair play to the boys.
“It’s difficult to take when you come away from a game like that with nothing to show for your effort.
“But the fact we’re gutted not to get anything from Ibrox shows how well we played in spells.
“That’s what we need to take from the game, the belief that we can go and beat Celtic and Rangers.
“We have run the two of them close, albeit you don’t get anything from coming close.
“You need to think like these top teams. You need to have the belief that you can do and beat them.”
Snodgrass was a late arrival into Robbie Neilson’s Hearts squad this season.
The former Norwich and Hull City attacker signed as a free agent in September, a little while after the transfer window had closed.
It has taken him some time to get up to full match sharpness after suffering from some injury issues over the past year.
So while he’s glad to be back fit and firing, the timing of the World Cup break mid-season is a cause for frustration from a personal point of view for the ex-Scotland international.
He added: “Fitness wise, having two games in three days was tough. I’ve not had a pre-season in three years so it’s been difficult.
“I’ve had problems with a disc in my back, but I feel as though I’m through that now. Hopefully with minutes on the pitch that’ll help me more.
“I said a few weeks ago that if you gave me five or six games I’d hopefully be where I want to be in terms of fitness.
“So that’s two 90 minutes within 72 hours and I’ve put in good numbers stats wise, running wise and fitness wise. I’m feeling good.
“It’s a different position I’m playing in than I’ve been used to. I’m playing as a sitter and have been trying to keep the ball and get the lads ticking and moving. That’s a different tole than I’ve been used to throughout my career.
“But I love it, I love football and I’ll play anywhere. I’ll take the ball and try and play and enjoy it as much as I can.
“I’d probably prefer to play on rather than stop for the break.
“I said that before that I thought I’d just start to get my fitness and then the World Cup would start. But that’s life, that’s what it is.
“As a team we have wanted to build momentum too but we’ll go into the next game against Livingston looking to get another win."
